Roommates from hell

Dirty clothes piled on the floor, torn and filthy socks, papers strewn all over and a stinking room, if you thought these are the only things a roommate is capable of, well — think again

Neha Alluri

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“He was a normal kid in high school but something happened when we reached college. He was absolutely crazy about his girlfriend. He constantly said he had money and that he wanted to run away with her. There was this one time when he was almost about to kill himself at 4 am in the morning because he got into a fight with her,” says Harsha Phani, an undergraduate student. Harsha tried reasoning with him but it was no good.

Similar to Harsha, Rahul Sharma too has a tale to tell. His roommate was a narcissist, someone who needed constant attention. He was also a suspected kleptomaniac. “He always wanted importance. He just couldn’t bear it if we made fun of him in a friendly way. It bothered him so much that he disappeared for hours together,” Rahul said. Rahul tried to talking to him about it but it didn’t help.

Unlike these situations, Rani had a different problem– her roommate was obsessed with her. “She was desperate to room with me from the very beginning. She does everything I do,” said Rani. “I have always been allergic to garlic so I avoid any food with it. She always enjoyed everything but in college she suddenly claimed to be allergic to garlic too. She made such a big scene that her father had to visit her!” added Rani. Rani said that her roommate does not have a major psychological disorder, but she impersonates her in many ways. “We have been friends for too long, so I don’t have the heart to say anything to her,” said Rani, smiling.

Savita Menon, a psychologist at Apollo Hospital, feels that these problems should be carefully dealt with. “If your roommate has a major psychological issue, you should let his or her parents know. They probably did not notice it for a long time. But let him or her know before you inform the parents. If you don’t, he or she could have major trust issues. If it’s a minor problem, talk it out,” said Dr Menon. She also thinks that situations like these should be given a shot. “If nothing works, switching rooms is always an option,” she added.

There will always be differences among people. And they are more apparent when you are living with someone. While some people can look beyond the differences, others can’t. Dealing with them in the right way is important. Confronting your roommate and talking to them about any problem is a good way to share a healthy relationship.

Movies to watch on roommates

• The Odd Couple
• Single White Female
• Threesome
• Three men and a baby

Roommate

• Things to do before you room with someone
• Try to meet with the person before you move in together.
• Check if your schedules match.
• Make sure you have some similarities.
• Move in with a friend who you have known for a long time, if possible.
• Confront and talk about any problem that arises.

Tags: Neha Alluri, relationship, roommate

Category: Family & Relationships, Health